Catholic, Jewish Leaders in Spain Form Group for Mutual Understanding

A Christian-Jewish action group to promote mutual understanding and better relations between Catholics and Jews has been formed in Spain, it was reported here today. The unprecedented new group includes important Spanish Catholic prelates and lay leaders and the president of the Madrid Jewish community, Max Mazin, and the honorary president, Louis Blitz.

The formation of the new group, which held its first meeting in Madrid last week, was decided on following a public meeting on the subject of “Jews and Christians–their mutual relations.” Speakers at the meeting included members of the Catholic church, priests and Maximon Yagupsky, former head of the South American office of the American Jewish Committee.

The work of the new group was expected to be important not only for the tiny Spanish Jewish community but eventually also for South American countries which have large numbers of Catholic clergy. The group includes Father Serrano, who represented the Bishop of Madrid at the first meeting, Father Antonio Deral of the Arias Montal Institute and the Mother Superior of the Order of Our Lady of Zion.